Fade to Black
by stretchingthelimits
Summary: More fluffy procrastination, This one decidedly more smutty. After AWE, No Willabeth, AT ALL! but lots and lots of tasty Sparrabeth goodness...


A/N: Yes, I'm still procrastinating. Don't yell at me. And I'm splitting this into two chapters because its a little big for one. Hehehe this is the longest story I've ever actually managed to finish!! Oh, and just a little notey-poo, for this to make entire sense, Will and Elizabeth never actually managed to get it on. (what an icky thought, if they had, eh?)

She had wanted to go to India.

Alone. He had cautioned her to how wonderfully horrible an idea that was. She might be the Pirate King, and the most fearsome woman he had ever encountered, but nonetheless, she was still only one person, unfamiliar with the country, unable to speak the language, and he cautioned her extensively against it, begging her at least to take one of the crew with her as a guard, if she wouldn't let him come.

He vaguely wondered why she was so adamant about her going alone, not even thinking of allowing him to accompany her, but he had no right to stop her, she was a grown woman, and he had done as much for her as he could, sailing all the way to Bombay for her, watched her disembark with naught but her purse of money and her cutlass, dressed once again in the mens clothes she had stolen from someone. Once again, one of his loves was pulled away from him, without explanation. Though, at the very least, she had kissed him, thanked him, and told him she would find him again, and that was as much as he could get from her.

Gibbs hadn't questioned anything that had happened, which was just as Jack wanted it. She was his soft spot, and both men knew it, and had carefully skirted any subject involving India, meetings of the Brethren Court, and any of several other subjects that were touchy on the subject of Elizabeth. The two men had a friendship as close as it could be, considering that Gibbs was still Jack's first mate.

Even though Gibbs had not spoken of Elizabeth to Jack, Ana Maria, who had found her way back to Jack's crew, downright confronted him about it.

"So you just let her leave then?"

"What makes you think I could stop her?"

"Thats not what I meant, Jack. You didn't tell her anything?"

"About what, exactly?"

"Jack."

He turned to look at her with a peculiarly pained expression gracing his mobile face.

"Fine." He said, well aware of what the dark woman was speaking of, and knowing full well that he had to talk about it to someone, and Ana Maria would probably be the closest to understanding.

"Is it really that obvious?" He asked.

"Aye, Jack. You're not as good at hiding it as you think. Anyone who knows you half as well as I do can see it. I'm as happy as I can be for you to have found something like that, but you're a bloody idiot for letting her leave like that!"

"She said she would find me again."

"Aye, Jack. But it doesn't just work like that." She paused for a moment. "Do you want to know what I think?"

"I think I do, love." Jack said softly, staring ahead.

"She's hurtin' too, Jack. Going to India, not letting anyone go with her, she's running away. Maybe she's got a bit of a death wish, but she's running. She's found things she doesn't understand, she's lost almost everything that she thought was assured, and she's trying to start something new. That's why she wanted to go alone."

"How do you know that?"

"I'm a woman in a man's world too. I know how she feels. If we show weakness, we're nothing but mindless females, yet if we harden to the pain the way men do, we're heartless and cruel. Why do you think I keep disappearing?" she asked, wondering why she was admitting that to him.

"Oh." He said, eloquently. "I didn't know that."

"Didn't expect you to. You're only a man." Ana Maria sighed. "Look, they say 'if you want something bad enough, its bound to happen,' but that's only half true. You can't just want it. You have to do something about it too. " With those last words, she planted a quick kiss on his cheek, and left him sitting in the galley of his ship, completely alone.

* * *

He sat on the table top for a good half hour, thinking. He chewed a hole in the sleeve of his grubby shirt. She had said she would come find him, so could it hurt so bad to swallow his pride for a bit? He thought harder than he thought he would need to. He knew he loved her. He just didn't know if he could admit it to anyone else, including her. But how many people in this wide, strange world were even given a chance at real love?

"Tis better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all." He quoted, standing and breaking simultaneously into a grin and a run.

"GIBBS!"

"Aye, Sir!" The man answered, slightly startled.

"Where are we?"

Gibbs couldn't help but answer his captain with a strange look.

"We just pulled out of Tortuga not an hour past."

"Oh. That's right." Jack pulled out his compass and looked at it for assurance. "How would you feel about a little trip to India?"

"India, sir?" The first mate couldn't help but ask, wondering what had changed his mind.

"Aye! Get our navigator to plot the course, and take the helm."

Gibbs moved to comply, but the curiosity overcame him.

"Are you sure about this, Jack? Didn't she tell you not to follow her?"

"Who said I'm going for her?" He asked with a grin.

"Oh. Right." He answered, turning away to follow his orders.

"I'm going for both of us." Jack spoke to himself.

* * *

Elizabeth's year in India had calmed her. She had had positively no difficulty avoiding any remaining agents of the East India Company which had remained after the great battle that destroyed her life as she expected it. Her loss of her expected future with Will had shattered her, and the kindness that Jack had shown her was touching, but she couldn't stand it. The shock of everything was coming down on her, loosing her father, Will, James, even the possibility of going back home. She had needed time alone to sort out what she wanted to make of what was left of her life.

A month previous she had written to the first mate of her ship, The Sea Empress, bestowed upon her along with her Kingship of the brethren court, to make all haste to the port in Bombay.

She had watched the docks, waiting, watching the ships coming in for the majestic beauty that she had sailed on but once. She kept her hand on the hilt of her cutlass as she sat waiting on a high stone wall to forestall any attempts made on her. When she had left the Black Pearl, Jack had been right, she had needed a guard or someone with her, but she preferred her solitude to safety, she had found, and had learned to manage quite well on her own.

When she saw the ship pull into the harbor, she jumped from her high seat on the wall, and walked up the plank the crew had set out. The man she remembered as the first mate noted her, and gave her a deep bow before approaching her.

"Ma'am." he said simply.

"Hello." Elizabeth answered with a smile. "I'll need someone to help me get my things from my apartment. I'll be needing to travel to Tortuga. Please have the stocks replenished for a trip of that length." Her words were spoken with a smile, but her eyes were hard.

"Yes, Ma'am." He answered with another deep bow.

Elizabeth waited on the deck of the ship for a moment as the first mate went about following her orders when two half-grown cabin boys walked up to her from below decks. She gestured for them to follow her, and she led them off the ship to her small apartment not far from the fashionable district of the city, far from the docks.

All her belongings had been packed for a few days, two small wooden chests and a few satchels. Each boy took a chest in their arms and Elizabeth took the bags and locked the door to her old apartment with a last look at her home of the past year. The elderly man she rented the room from knew she was leaving soon and already had her key. She shut the door with a silent farewell, and headed back to her ship ready to chase the rest of her life.

She spent most of the journey in her cabin, a stick of incense lit, and a book in her hands. She was surprised when she realized she had no desire to actually captain this ship, and soon divulged this information in her first mate, a middle aged Asian man named Than Shwe, who assured her that he had the ship in control for her. She considered what she would do when they reached Tortuga. She decided that she would pass the ship onto Than; she had watched him command the ship, the crew respected him, he was knowledgeable, there was no real need for her, and the only ship she wished to be on was considerably darker, and its captain much more captivating.

* * *

Jack spent an entire month in Burma searching for Elizabeth. Well, he, Gibbs, and Ana Maria spent an entire month in Burma. He hadn't wanted any other members of the crew to know about his... indulgence, and they all spent their time drinking and enjoying brothels, spending much of the plunder they found in the wealthy ships of the remains of the East India Company.

One elderly man they met seemed to know Elizabeth, said he had rented a room to her for almost a year, but she had moved out not a fortnight ago. He didn't seem to know where she might be, if she had returned to their Caribbean haunts, or if she remained in India somewhere.

Seemingly defeated after learning this, Jack walked back to his floating black beauty, completely frustrated. Yes, he had swallowed his pride, but to what end? She wasn't here. He was too late. His grand gesture was wasted because she did it first. Damn her. If she had only waited another month. If he had only finally ceased vacillating one month earlier. Bloody inaction.

He spoke of this to Ana Maria, how she would probably never believe him that he had been here looking for her. Ana had become his confidant of late, she was easy to talk to, and surprisingly wise in the types of dealings with females that Jack had little experience in. She suggested that he get her something in the markets to prove that he had actually been to Burma searching for her.

Finding this to be an excellent idea, he ordered Gibbs to set the ship ready to sail back towards home waters, and journeyed to the markets on his own, searching for a gift to bestow upon his bonny lass.

When the Black Pearl left the port in Burma, all of the crew members were fairly positive about their experience in Indian waters. The plunder had been bountiful, the port fairly friendly, and Jack was positive still about finding Elizabeth, despite the fact that his searching thus far had proved fruitless.

* * *

"Than? May I speak to you for a moment?"

Elizabeth stood on the quarterdeck of the Sea Empress, a familiar turtle shaped island well in view.

"Yes, Ma'am?" Than answered, bowing low to her, as he did each time she addressed him.

"How would you feel about becoming the captain of this fine ship, not only in capacity, as it has been for the past—has it been a year?—but also in name?" She continued without letting him answer. "I've known for a while that I would be surrendering command to you, and I know that you will be a most excellent captain. Your crew truly respects you." the look of joy and appreciation on his face was more thanks than Elizabeth needed; she didn't want to be in command of a ship of her own, anyways. She had enjoyed her solitude and time away from what she knew, but she was ready to return. She only hoped it was still waiting for her.

She realized that her eyes were watering, and quickly blinked back tears.

"Anyways, Thank you for keeping the Empress in such good shape. She's truly a good ship, and I wish you the best, I just need to be somewhere else."

"Thank you so much, Ma'am. Thank you." Than said, shaking her hand. He was a quiet man, but extremely effective.

Elizabeth returned to the captains quarters to repack the last of her belongings into the trunks, once again. Two trunks worth and two bags worth was more belongings than she had had in more than two years. It was comforting somehow to have things that were defined as belongings, things that were truly yours, instead of simply things that you used, things you found that served their purpose. She enjoyed having possessions again.

She helped the same two cabin boys carry her precious belongings to his favorite tavern, The Faithful Bride, and rented one of the noisy rooms upstairs for surprisingly little. Perhaps that was why it was his favorite tavern, she thought with an image of his lopsided, roguish grin coming to mind. She slipped a shilling to each of the boys who had helped her and winked at them as they ran out, back to their home ship, polishing the coins on their shirts.

The barrel-chested tavern master stacked both of her small trunks atop each other and lifted them easily, and led her up the crowded stairs, bellowing for the drunkards to move from his and the 'lady's' way. She smiled and some of the appreciative looks she acquired once he drew attention to her. She supposed she had taken on quite an exotic appearance during her stay in Burma. What could she say? She found she enjoyed the kohl just as much as he did.

After securing her belongings in her room, she thanked the large man for helping her with her things. He asked, delicately, if she were staying alone here, and if she would like any protection from the usual clientèle. With a laugh, Elizabeth thanked him for his concern, but assured him that she could fend for herself, and to prove her point, she pulled aside a bit of the fabric of the sari covering her hip, exposing the hilt of her cutlass which resided there.

"I believe I'll be able to handle any unsolicited attention that might find me." she clarified, her face suddenly grim. The tavern master nodded, somewhat surprised by her sudden gravity.

"Aye then, miss. I'll just be goin' then. I hope ye have a nice stay."

Elizabeth watched him shut the door and slightly unpacked her things, digging through her clothing for something that would draw considerably less attention in the revelrous atmosphere. She pulled off her turquoise sari with slight reluctance. She had enjoyed Indian clothing, and how free and unrestricting it felt, in sharp contrast to European clothing that she used to be subjected to wear. She kept on her bracelets, bindi, and kohl around her eyes. There was nothing she could do about the henna paint on her limbs though. She dug out her old worn boots and slipped them on. Of course she still had them. Jack had given them too her, an old pair of his as replacements for another pair she had found that were far too big, but were better than the English lady's slippers she had been wearing.

With a reminiscent sigh, she made her way back downstairs to begin her watch for him. It couldn't be too impossibly long until he stopped in port. After all, he was Captain Jack Sparrow, and this was Tortuga. What would one be without the other?

* * *

Pulling into port at Tortuga, the Black Pearl sat low in the water, heavy with plunder. Two members of its crew soon disengaged themselves from the task of unloading the dark ship of its ill-gotten cargo and snuck themselves into the taverns with nothing but the most noble of intentions in mind.

The dark captain soon realized that his first mate was missing, and immediately deduced where he had snuck off to, and to what end. He noticed a flutter in his stomach as the thought hit him that he would soon know if his Lizzie were in town or not. He might see her again soon, after a year. It seemed like eternity, yet it was no such thing. Gods, he just wanted her near again.

His attention was brought back to the activity that buzzed about his beloved ship, and he angrily realized that he would have to oversee the unloading of a holds worth of cargo, a task he had not had to endure since he had been quartermaster so long ago.

"They planned this." He said, pouting, unwilling to divest any attention to work, though he was idly grateful that he didn't actually have to carry any trunks or barrels.

* * *

"Mr. Gibbs! Ana Maria!" A voice shot out across the room as the two missing crew members entered the Faithful Bride.

Ana spotted her first, and grabbed the older man's elbow and drug him through the crowded tavern to where their goal sat with a broad grin on her face.

"Is he here then?" She asked, hugging Gibbs and Ana quickly. "Oh, I missed all of you."

"Aye, lass, he's here. And he's apt to be mad as hell at me for leaving the actual work to him." Gibbs answered with a glare at his dark female companion.

"Shut up. A little honest work will do him good."

"Good to see ye lookin' so well, Miss Elizabeth." Gibbs said, taking stock of her. "I hope India treated you well?"

"Certainly. It was exactly what I needed, some time alone."

"That's just what I told him." Ana Maria exclaimed. "He was taking it as a bit of a personal insult, sulking about and looking dreadful. I know, sometimes you just need to get away." She said softly, smiling sadly at Elizabeth.

"Well!" Gibbs said, "How are we going to arrange this little meeting? Should I order drinks?" He asked somewhat hopefully.

"I'll take care of it. You go back to the ship and tell Jack that he needs to come down to the tavern," Ana smiled at Elizabeth, "And I'll get our little truant here fixed up nice and pretty."

"Aye." Gibbs said, eying the two scheming females distastefully, "I'll go do that..." He turned to leave.

"And take your time!" Ana shouted, frowning as his only reply was a dismissive wave of the hand. "Men." She snorted. Then, glancing at Elizabeth, she quickly asked. "Do you have anything a bit fancy we can dress you up in?" She asked.

"I think so. India made me well equipped for such occasions." Elizabeth answered heading up the stairs to her small rented room. She opened the two chests and pulled out several saris, long lengths of silk and fine cloth that was draped about ones person to form a dress, cholis, and petticoats. Fingering the the lengths of silk, Elizabeth watched as Ana held up a cream colored sari against her dark skin.

"You can have it if you want." She said softly, almost smiling.

"What?"

"I wont have much occasion to wear all of them anymore, seeing as how they don't exactly fit in. I just couldn't bear to get rid of them. Besides, that color looks so nice against your skin." She said with a shrug, then a bright smile.

"Thank you." Ana Maria said. She missed female company. "You're the one who needs to look nice though." Putting her attention to the task at hand, she looked at the arrangement of bright colored silks laid out on the small bed. She picked up a bright orange sari. "How about this one?"

* * *

The holds were nearly unloaded when Jack noticed his first mate walking up the dock towards the ship with a frown on his face muttering to himself.

"Talking to yourself, mate? That's a sign of a guilty conscience, you know." Jack said, only slightly accusingly, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Aye, eh.. Jack... 'You Should Go Down To The Tavern,' you know?" Gibbs said, in the most peculiar way.

"What was that, mate?" Jack asked, pretending not to hear.

Gibbs sighed. "'You Should Go Down To The Tavern,' right? I'll take care of the ship, Jack." the first mate glanced to both sides, as if making sure no one was listening. "She made me leave. I didn't want to do it, but you know, women, right?"

Jack patted his friend and first mate on the shoulder. "Treacherous lot, aren't they? Pity they're so goddamn likable, too." He replied, taking his leave of the ship and remainder of the work. That could only mean that she was here. Bloody hell, he shouldn't be nervous, should he? He wondered how she had changed, for she must have changed somehow. He wondered if she could still be his Lizzie.

* * *

With her kohl reapplied, a sari wrapped about her body, and her bangles and ankle bells adorning her body, Elizabeth felt like an Indian princess or concubine prepared for her wedding night or some such. The small tavern room had no mirror, so Ana had to apply the kohl for her and check to make sure everything was where it belonged.

"You look incredible." Ana said, stepping back to admire her work. Elizabeth really did look stunning, and Ana gave her a quick tight hug. "Do you want to go down and find him yourself, or should I send him up here?"

"Send him up here." Elizabeth answered with a twinkle in her eye."Thank you so much, Ana. For everything."

The dark woman gave her a wink and a little wave before slipping out the door. The loud click as it closed made her jump, and she realized that her hands were shaking, and she was incredibly nervous. She busied herself by folding the saris that were left out and packing away the rest of her articles in her two little trunks. She finished her little task, and ended up standing in the middle of the small room, breathing nervously and wringing her hands. The light knock on the door nearly startled her out of her wits.

* * *

She opened the door very slightly, only enough to see the golden tanned skin and dark mustache, dreadlocks and a bandanna before she opened it all the way and stepped back slightly allowing him to enter. She shut the door behind him and turned back, only to realize he was staring at her.

She realized it had happened. She had found him, or he had found her, or Ana had stuck them together.. Either way, there he was, staring at her.

He was standing at an angle to her, his gaze sweeping her up and down. She watched a smile slowly spread across his incredible lips, and realized there was one sneaking its way onto her face too.

"I take it you enjoyed yer time in India, then?" He asked, taking a step closer, his hand brushing against the shoulder that was uncovered by sari and choli. She shivered slightly,

"I did." She breathed, shutting her eyes. "I did, but ye Gods, I missed you, Jack."

"You missed me, Jack?" He asked, mimicking her. When she opened her eyes, he stepped closer and cupped her face in his hands his thumbs brushing her lips, which parted in response, and her eyelids, which slid shut again.

Her hands came up to cover his own, and pulled them from fer face, instead cupping them together against her chest. She gazed up at him, caressing his cheekbone with one hand, watching him intensely.

"Beautiful. You're beautiful, Lizzie." He whispered, his hands still captured against her chest.

She suddenly smiled, bright, and threw her arms about his neck, nuzzling her face against his chest, inhaling his unique scent. This was it, she thought, as his arms pulled her closer against him, his fingers digging into her hair, holding her fast and strong. She was home; there was no fire, no brimstone, no fireworks going off, just his arms, dark face, and heady smell, his confident manner and roguish grin.

"Are you going to tell me what happened, or are you just going to ravish me on the floor here?" he asked, pulling her head back to look him in the face.

"Of course," she said with a smile, dropping her arms from about him. "Sit down." she gestured towards the bed, the only furniture in the room.

He sat against the headboard, crossing his arms against his chest. Suddenly he rose, leaning towards her, gesticulating in his wild manner.

"Wait!" He exclaimed, stopping her from joining him on the bed. "Let me look at you." His eyes narrowed, examining every inch of her. Elizabeth was slightly amused at first, but his burning gaze was as violent as ever, and he was having that effect on her. She didn't allow herself to blush under his scrutiny, or shy away or other such nonsense. Why should she be embarrassed by a man staring at her? Especially him. Despite the strange and surprising manners that composed his persona, she had seen the good man beneath it all, and trusted him. Expressly, extensively, entirely. She thought this, and then fixed him with the same predatory stare he was using on her.

"You've changed." He said with a satisfied smile. "You're... calmer?" he seemed to almost ask.

Elizabeth crawled over him and sat on his opposite side, nestling herself under his arm. "I am... calmer. I guess that's what it is. I'm not running anymore." She sighed, and looked up at his face. The expression he wore reminded her of a day spent drinking rum on a tiny island, and she did finally manage to blush.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you by leaving like that. It's not what I intended. Its just... everything I knew seemed to be going wrong. Everyone I had ever loved was either dead or pulled away from me, and I didn't want to hurt anymore. And honestly, I was so scared of losing you too, that... I just... I got scared, Jack." She took a deep breath, frowning. "I had to leave, I didn't even want to think of the possibility of you leaving me too." Her breathing became ragged, and Jack rubbed her arms gently, offering comfort as he saw it needed. Relaxing somewhat at his touch, she continued. "When I... killed you... I was wrong. I was lying. I'm so sorry. That was the worst thing I ever had to do, and I can't believe what I put you through. And then, when we got you back, and you refused to speak to me, not even to let me apologize, I... thats when I started to change." She spoke in a rush, as if she was forcing the words out before they got lost. "See, the biggest thing I learned in India is that the life I wanted, and I was living came with a price. Everything does, it's just always a different price. To live as a pirate, the price is loss. I can get what I want, but I had to lose my previous life, all my assurances. But that other life would have come at a cost: safety, but I would have been a caged bird."

"You finally see it the way I do." he answered with a smile. "Peas in a pod, love." He repeated the old phrase he used to taunt her with. "We both need our freedom. It doesn't come easy though, love." He said softly, causing her to think of all the scars his body bore. She wondered if someday hers to would bear tribute to the price she paid for her happiness. She strangely hoped that it would.

"You're smilin, love. You didn't used to do that."

She laughed. "I can stop if you like?"

"You laughed too! I've never seen you do that before. Amazing." Amazing, the thought repeated in his head. She was amazing.

Laughing again, she laid her head against his chest, and listened to his breath, his heartbeat. It was intoxicating, being around him like this, as if the very rum he seemed to live off was pouring into her, making her light headed and blissful. His arms slipped about her back and she was being pulled upwards, her face suddenly even with his.

His hands manipulated her body until she was sitting straddling his legs, her hands captive in his.

"This time, I'm in control." He said staring at her, his eyes so intense that she immediately expressed that that was probably the best idea.

With a smile, he leaned forwards the tiniest bit, and kissed her. It was sweet, tender, and the very fire behind it made her mind melt into the most deliciously sinful of thoughts, and she moaned into his mouth. Somehow her hands found their way into the thick dreadlocks of his hair, grasping for a hold as she slipped deeper into him, his own hands traveling the length of her body, the heat intensified by the light silk of her sari.

When he finally pulled away she cried, her mouth suddenly cold without his covering it. His eyes were clouded and heavy lidded.

"I think we should head back to the Pearl." He said seriously.

Anything he suggested sounded like a wonderful idea, and she immediately rose and picked up her things, and closed the trunks.

"What's wrong with the room?" She asked suddenly, looking at the small piece of furniture.

"You're still a virgin, aren't you?" Jack asked with a knowing smile.

"And what if I am?" She replied, a dangerous edge to her voice as she stepped closer, daring him to comment.

"That bed is awfully small." That lopsided grin. Blazes, he had a definite point there.

"You're the expert." She replied, brushing past him and out the door.

"What's that supposed to mean?" He exclaimed, following her out.

"Nothing more than it seems."

Slipping his arm about her waist, they traveled downstairs into the noise and crowd of the Faithful Bride.

Elizabeth couldn't help but enjoy the wonderfully close proximity of his body as they walked. She barely noticed as he ordered her belongings to be delivered to the Black Pearl, or even that they were suddenly outside, suddenly quite cool in the night air. She pulled herself closer to Jack's side in an attempt to capture all of his heat to her.

Suddenly, he stopped and captured her mouth in a quick kiss. This one was different than the one before. It had all of the heat, but it was intensified, sharper. He was claiming her, promising her that he had not forgotten.

As soon as it began it was over, and they were walking again, the docks, and the trademark black sails obvious against the darkening twilight sky.

Walking up the gangplank and on board his ship, Jack quickly announced that they did not wish to be disturbed, and ushered Elizabeth into his cabin.

He led her over to his bed, directing her to sit, lowering himself to his knees before her. His bed was undeniably larger than the one in her rented room, she realized with a flush of heat.

He took her henna dyed hands in his own and kissed each fingertip, one by one, his eyes boring into her unmercifully.

"Now, where were we?" He asked his voice a low rumble.

"I believe you were about to take my clothes off." She answered boldly.

"Ah, yes, sounds like a marvelous place to start." He replied, rising from the floor, pulling her up by her hands.

Apparently, Jack knew exactly how to take a sari off. While this didn't exactly surprise her, she did store the fact in the back of her mind, to use later perhaps.

And suddenly, she was naked before him, and his lips were plying at her mouth again, his fingers finding their marvelous way over her skin, her neck, collarbone, her chest, her breasts. His hands were on her back and she was falling backwards, her descent stopped by the soft expanse of his bed, and she realized it was in fact a very good thing that his bed was quite large.

The heated pleasure he cause to travel through her veins was quickly staunched by the realization that he was still fully clothed, and she pushed him off, determined to alleviate this.

Straddling his hips, she worked the buttons of his shirt, being constantly distracted by the things his lips kept doing to her fingers.

"Take the damn thing off." She hissed, indicating the shirt, and she herself moved downwards, untying his sash, unbuckling his belts, throwing them all on the floor.

She soon looked up at him and realized he was already shirtless, and seemed quite absorbed in watching her divest him of his pants.

"I thought you said you were a virgin." He said, noting where exactly her hands were resting.

"I'm not naive, though." She replied, undoing the buttons of his pants. "Just inexperienced." She slid the garments off of his dark legs.

"I see." he purred, grabbing her hands and pulling her back down on top of him. He pulled her head down to meet his, and the kiss became secondary to the marvelous things his hands were doing to her: things impossible to describe, things that made her moan and twitch, things that turned her to putty in his grasp.

"Top or bottom?" he whispered, his breath hot on her ear.

"What?"

"Top or bottom?" came the repeated question. While he waited for her answer, he nibbled gently at her ear, gently laving the skin just below it, traveling excruciatingly slowly down her neck.

"Aahh..." Was the only reply Elizabeth could give, and it seemed to be an acceptable one, because he flipped her onto her back, positioning herself atop of her.

"I think bottom is best, then, yes?" he asked, not really expecting a coherent answer from her.

For all her time spent in India, Elizabeth knew better than to expect it to hurt, and it didn't. The sensation was entirely new, and slightly uncomfortable at first, but possibly it was the farthest thing from pain she had ever experienced, yet at the same time, exactly that. It was excruciating delight. Jack moved slowly at first, asking if she was okay, a fact she emphatically assured him of, and she was soon urging him faster.

It was unlike anything else she could imagine, and she held onto her Jack as tightly as she could manage, whispering his precious name in his ear, slipping her legs around his back as he moved within her. And suddenly, suddenly, everything expanded, she was everything, everywhere, flying, and Jack was right there, holding her up, and the heat was everywhere.

As she slowly fell back to earth, she realized she couldn't move, and had no desire to. She had everything she needed right here. Everything she wanted, with his face pressed against her neck, breathing hard against her skin. Her limbs were tingling, her mind buzzing, and she had to put her arms around Jack. She had to because she needed still more of him, needed to hold him close, and nothing more.

"Lizzie..." His voice sounded far away. "I...

"You don't have to say it." She answered, knowing admitting it wouldn't change anything.

"I already know."

She felt his fingers bury into her hair, and the world faded to Black again.


End file.
